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Full Name: Melquisedec Mesa
Born: 01/31/1987
Birthplace: Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic
Height: 6′ 1″
Weight: 165
Bats: R
Throws: R

Melky Mesa (born in Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic) is a is a Major League Baseball outfielder who plays for the New York Yankees organization.

He was signed by the New York Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2003.

2008 Season:
Team	League	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
STA	NYP	.221	46	122	19	27	5	2	7	23	57	4	38	4	1	.252	.467	.719

2009 Season
Team	League	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
CSC	SAL	.225	133	497	76	112	24	7	20	74	210	51	168	18	6	.309	.423	.731

Major League Debut:

Yankees’ Dominican Summer League(2004)
Melky batted .146 with three home runs and 10 RBI in 49 games.

DSL Yankees:
Appeared in eight games batting .304 (7-for-23).(2005)

Gulf Coast League Yankees(2006)
Hit just .207 with three home runs, three stolen bases, and he struck out 45 times in only 145 at-bats which were not impressive numbers.

Gulf Coast League Yankees(2007)
Batted .235 with 27 runs, 10 doubles, three homers and 13 RBIs in 49 games.

Staten Island(2008)
Batted .221 with 19 R, 5 doubles, 2 triples, 7 HR and 23 RBIs in 46 games. Led the team in home runs. Over half (14) of his 27 hits went for extra-bases.

Charleston RiverDogs(2009)
Batted .225 with 76 runs, 24 doubles, seven triples. 20 home runs and 74 RBI in 133 games but stuck out 168 times. This was his first season playing over 140 games since playing in short seasons his whole minor league career. Got tired at the end of the year and struggled the last three weeks of the season.

Says Melky.. “The mental part is hard because it is a lot of games,” Mesa said through the help of a translator. “It is difficult to wake up and play a game everyday—140 games are a lot.”

Batting and Power:

Mesa swings a powerful bat and has great bat speed. Scouts believe once he fills out his 6-foot-1 and legitimate 165-pound frame, his power could be really special. He needs to learn how to make more consistent contact at the plate and cut down on his strikeouts. He could possibly hit over 30 home runs if he can learn to be a consistent .270 hitter.

Base Running and Speed:

He has frusrated the Yankees’ organization with his lack of steals even though there hasn’t been a need for him to steal bases. He is one of the fastest players in the New York Yankees’ organization and he has the potential to steal bases like Brett Gardner and Justin Christian.

Defense:

When it comes to defense, Mesa is a special player. He has the potential to be a Gold Glove center fielder or right fielder in the big leagues. Sinc he has a cannon for an arm, he would be a better fit in right field and some scouts have compared his throwing arm to Vladmir Guerreros.

YankeesDaily’s Take and Projection:

Melky Mesa has slightly better tools than Austin Jackson but Mesa is going to have to learn how to make more contact, cut down on his strikeout rate and learn how to take pitches the other way. If he can make a lot of gains in those areas, he could project to be a Mike Cameron type of player but with a better arm.

Has great success hitting fastballs but has a hard time with breaking balls and had a hard time making consistent contact at the plate. Has great bat speed and great natural ability which are things you can’t teach in athletes. Needs to take more chances on the base paths and learn pitcher’s moves better. The ball comes off of his bat really well and reminds some scouts of Alfonso Soriano. He has to learn how to maintain his balance and do a better job of using the entire field.

He’s a five-tool player but the Yankees want to see more consistency out of him. What’s frustrating to the Yankee organization is that he works hard but still strikes out a lot. They’re going to have to keep throwing him out there because you don’t quit on a 5-tool player because they are hard to find.

Since Melky Mesa strikes out so much, he won’t be able to skip a minor league level in his career despite all the tools he has in other areas. He’ll need four full minor league seasons before he’s ready for the big leagues.

Tags: melky mesa, melky mesa - prospect profile - New York Yankees, yankeesdaily

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